ALAN DAVIE | Delicious Morsel for the Crocodile No2

Private Collection, UK
Alan Wheatley Art, London, where acquired by the present owner

London, Alan Wheatley Art, Alan Davie: To Uncover the Hidden Unknown, 16th June - 22nd July 2011, cat. no.29, illustrated.

Alan Bowness (ed.), Alan Davie, Lund Humphries, London, 1967, cat. no.447;
Douglas Hall and Michael Tucker, Alan Davie, Lund Humphries, London, 1992, cat. no.511.

The canvas is original. There is some undulation in the canvas towards corners. There is some reticulation in some pigments in the circular shape towards upper edge, in the black pigment on the blue horizontal line towards the right edge, and further scattered very fine lines elsewhere. There is some scuffing to the extreme edges, perhaps owing to the work having previously been unframed and some lighter further scuffs scattered in places. There is flattening to some of the thicker areas of impasto and some minor instances of surface dirt and studio detritus in places. This excepting the work appears to be in very good overall condition. Inspection under ultra violet light reveals areas of fluorescence that appear in keeping with the nature of the Artist's materials. The work is housed within a painted wooden box frame. Please telephone the department on +44 (0) 207 293 6424 if you have any questions regarding the present work.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

'Thus the artist must be a prophet; that is, one who utters that which is meaningful in a timeless sense, not out of reason or knowledge or the past, but out of the eternal NOW which is everlastingly fresh and wonderful' (Alan Davie, ‘Towards a New Definition of Art, Some Notes on (NOW) Painting’, Galerie Charles Lienhard, Zurich, 1960, quoted in Alan Bowness, Alan Davie, Lund Humphries, London, 1967).